


Fearless

by oceleagle



Series: The Mythical ABCs [6]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, First Kiss, High School, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Panic, Panic Attacks, Young Love, confession of feelings, summer before high school
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 15:18:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17869697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceleagle/pseuds/oceleagle
Summary: Rhett causes himself to have a panic attack while trying to keep his feelings for Link hidden.





	Fearless

       By very definition, the word ' _fearless_ ' means ' _laking fear_ '. Is this is even possible? Is there ever a time in a human being's life when they aren't afraid of _something_? It's an emotion coded into our species, which every person has felt at some point in their lives.

 

       Maybe " _fearless_ " is more a concept than an actual thing. Perhaps being " _fearless_ " is the conceptualization of being completely consumed by fear, but being able to swallow it down to the pit of one's stomach and push forward without giving in to the emotion. Or maybe fearlessness is real. Maybe there are people out there who are incapable of feeling fear. Maybe we'll never know...

 

* * *

 

       Rhett isn't sure what comes over him. This is Link. His best friend. The boy he can share everything in the whole world with. So, why are his palms sweating profusely, throat dry and scratchy, stomach in knots, heart thumping madly in his chest cavity? What is happening to him?

 

       Link is so blissfully unaware of the effect he's having on the other boy. What would he think if he knew Rhett's lungs were begging for more oxygen with every step he took? Probably laugh. He'd probably laugh and brush it off like it was nothing. Hence the reason Rhett desperately attempts to shove the anxiety down. _If he could just breathe properly..._

 

**"Hey, man. I, uh... I gotta pee. Be right back."**

 

       And with that abrupt announcement, he's off into the woods, breath coming in short gasps. Then he's coughing. Choking on nothing, but choking on _everything_ at the same time. What the heck? _What the heck?! WHAT THE HECK?!_ This cannot be happening right now. Link is going to know something is wrong. He's going to ask, but Rhett can't tell him. He can never tell him; can never tell _anyone_.

 

       Hot tears spring up and spill over onto his flushed cheeks without his approval. The tall boy doubles over, hands meeting his shaking knees as a wave of nausea crashes to shore in the pit of his abdomen..

 

 **"Rhett?"** Link heard the coughing and came to check. When there's no reply, he takes a couple more steps toward his friend. Upon closer inspection, he can see the look of terror on the boy's face.

 

 ** _"Rhett!"_** The younger boy drops his backpack on the ground, rushing to Rhett's side, landing on his knees and practically sliding in front of him on the muddy ground.

 

 **"What's wrong, bo?! _What happened?!_ "** He's grabbed Rhett's shoulders and is feebly attempting to get the boy to look him in the eyes.

 

**"No-- Nothin'-- Nothin's wrong... I'm-- I'm fine..."**

 

       Rhett tries to push him away, but fails miserably. The hyperventilation has caused a lack of oxygen to his brain. His limbs absolutely refuse to cooperate. This is a mess. A complete disaster. He has to clean this up. Quickly. Before the words he's suffocating on come flooding past his lips.

 

       But Link is having no part of it. Something is wrong, and he is determined he is going to try and fix it.

 

 **"You're a terrible liar, buddy."** He states matter-of-factly.

 

       That's all it takes for Rhett's knees to completely give up on him, and he lands firmly in the mud beneath him, choking on a sob as he goes. Link's hands still haven't left his shoulders, and the touch is making it worse. The words he can't say are basically eating him alive from the inside out at this point.

 

**"Stop-- _stop it..._ I said I'm-- _I'm fi_ \--"**

 

**_"YOU’RE NOT FINE!!"_ **

 

        This time the voice is raised almost to the point of shouting, prompting a frightened whimper from his friend. Link has never yelled at him before. At least not for real...

 

 **"I'm sorry, Rhett..."** The younger apologizes sincerely, voice lowering to just above a whisper. **" _I'm so sorry_. I didn't mean to yell. I just-- obviously something is wrong..."**

 

       Rhett finally raises his eyes to meet his best friend's concerned gaze. **"I just-- I _can't_ \--" **

 

       And then it happens. He can't control it.

 

 **_"It's YOU!"_** He screams into the open air.

 

       Now it's Link's turn to be scared. It's him? What the heck did he do? But Rhett isn't even close to finished yet.

 

 ** _"I can't even look at you!"_** Rhett is back on his feet now, fists balled as if he's prepared to fight the other boy.

 

       Link is petrified at this point. Is Rhett going to _hit_ him? He scrambles back a bit, jumping to his feet. In the event he has to fight back, he definitely wants to be prepared. The boy is so shocked by the words that have fallen upon his ears, blue eyes round and wide with confusion and fear.

 

       He's about to speak, to question where on earth Rhett's anger at him is coming from when he notices the softness that takes over the other boy's features. Then comes the barely audible whisper.

 

 **"It's you, Link. It's _always_ been you. I can't-- I can't look at you."** Rhett pauses, breathing in deeply before powering through. There's no stopping now. **"I can't look at you because every time I do, I wanna** **touch** **you. I-- I wanna hold** **your** **hand while we walk... I wanna hug you tight when we're alone... I-- I wanna _kiss you_..."**

 

       Link's entire body freezes in place. This is so much more than what he thought it would be. His brain won't even form words, tender gaze daring to stay on his best friend, though his cheeks flush a deep crimson.

 

       Rhett continues, **"...and I can't say it. I can't tell you... It's _wrong_ , and it's _crazy_ , and I don't even know why I sa--"**

 

       The taller boy is cut off by gentle fingers tilting his chin upward to meet those mesmerizing pools of blue.

 

 ** _"Oh, bo..."_** Link swipes at the tears that stain his friend's cheeks. **"Don't cry. Ya didn't have to go an' have a whole panic attack to tell me that."** His voice lowers to a subdued whisper, **_"I already knew..."_**

 

       Then come the two words that make Rhett's heart soar far into the clouds.

 

**_"Me too."_ **

 

       All the young boy can think when Link's lips finally meet his is this:

 

_Maybe I should be "fearless" more often..._

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt given to me by @its-mike-kapufty on tumblr!


End file.
